Variable-speed transmission



J..G. FAY ET AL.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Oct. 15, 1929.

Filed Oct. 8, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet P thaw 1k iii/ hy James C. J b/fer BY [AVS/VY'UHJ.

W AT I'ORNEY Oct. 15, 1929.

J. G. FAY ET AL VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Oct. 8. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph G. Fay I ATTORNEY Oct. 15, 1929. FAY ET AL 1,731,972

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed 001;. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jam ed 6: Pw'fer ATTORNEY id ot. lt'i, i929 JI'ilSlilIPIt-l'. G. AND JAMES C. l mit-TIER, OF SEALLI.

ll ih' fiil Application filed. Getobcr 8, 1928. Serial No. 311,16-ct.

This invention relates to variable-speed power traiue'nitting and reversing mechanism adapted, more especially, for use on motor vehicles.

'llhe object of our invention is to simplify v.3 l u and otherwise improve mechanism of time character.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, illustrating embodin'ient of the invention,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on broken line 1-1 of Fig. 3.; Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are transverse vertical sectional views on lines 22, 3--3 and ir-f of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevation, partly in section, taken from the right hand end of Fig. l; and Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are diagramntiatic views to illustrate the various gear movements produced by dif ferent adjustments of the regulating devices therefor.

in said drawings, the reference numeral 1 represents a tubular shaft constituting the driving member of our transmission, and is drivenin one rotary direction as by means of an automobile motor, not shown. Mounted upon saidshaft is a sleeve 2 which serves as a bushing for a wheel 8, hereinafter termed the spider, and also for hubs 4: and 5 at the front and rear, respectively, of said spider. ("laid hubs are provided in their peripheries with spur teeth to serve as pinions, which are denoted by i and 5.

S id spider is provided with journal bearin, for multiple sets of planetary shafts 6 and 3'', two of each set being shown in Fig. 3, airiuui cd parallel with the axis of the power shaft l.

gully secured to the front and rear ends .tively of the shafts 6 are spur gears 6 and (3 of which the former, 6 are in continuous mesh with the pinions 4t; and the gears 6 in continuous mesh with the teeth of an internal 4 air 8 rigid with a cylindrical rotary dru: l2, which constitutes the driven me1nthe transmission.

dly secured to the front and rear ends respectively of the shafts 7 are spur gears 7 and 7 the gears 7 being in mesh with said pinion 5, and the gears 7 in mesh with the teeth of an internal ring gear 9 mounted for rotation in an annular member 10 which is adapted for rotary movement with respect to the non-rotary housing 10 or which may be secured thereto, as will be presently explained. Provided. in the spider 3 is a circumferential groove to accommodate a lined brahe band 13havingcnds 13 and 13 (Fig. 2) ontending through an aperture in the periphery of the housing 10; the spider-brake above referred to being normally held in its ezqnurded or disengaged relation with respect to said spider by means of a spring 13' acting between the band ends 13 and 13 which protrude from the housing. The function of said bralre is to impart reverse movement to the driven member 12 through the medium of the transmission gearing when the spider is prevented from rotating.

To which end, the brake is applied by means of a pedal, or manually, operated lever 70, hereinafter termed the reverse lever, act ing tl'irough the medium of a draw rod 'Zl which is attached to the band end 13 to draw the latter toward thebands other end 13 which shoulders, as 10 against the housing 10.

The hub of the pinion 4- is provided with a dish element 4: which is located between disks l t and 15 and constitute therewith a clutch, designated generally by A, whereby the pinion may be coupled to the shaft or driving member 1.

As shown in Fig l. the disk 15 is in the nature of a ring which is rotatably connected with its companion dish 1 by n'ieans of bolts 16 passing through circumferentiallv spaced t1 the dish:

apertures of the respective disks; 14; having a hub l l which is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 1 causes the disks 1% and 15 to rotate in unison wlth such shaft.

Springs 17 interposed between the clutch r g dislts i l and 15 tend to retain the same 111 disengaged relation with respect to the dish element d of the pinion 4-, to enable this pinion o be idle when required.

The clutch bolts 16 are each secured at an end thereof to the dish 15 but are slidable i with respect to the clutch axis.

endwise through the'companion disk 14. In front of the disk 14, said bolts are bifurcated to receive between the bifurcations 16 thereof, levers 18, which are pivotally connected by means of pins 19 to the respective bolts.

As shown in Fig.1, a lever 18' is of a substantially elbow shape and arranged to extend radially of the clutch and thence forwardly as at 18 ,substantially parallel with the axis of the clutch and terminating in a finger 18 disposed in a converging relation Each of said levers, furthermore, is characterized by being provided with rearwardly extending spaced protuberances 20 and 20 located at opposite sides of its'pivot connection 19 with the respective bolt 16 and are adapted to act against the clutch disk 14 to serve as fulc'rums for the associated levers 18 whereby longitudinal movement of the levers in either direction about the inner or outer of said fulcrums 20, 20 will cause the disks 1415 of the clutch (of which the member 14 is fast to the shaft 1) to be coupled with the disk element 4 of the pinion 4 whereby the latter is made fast to the said shaft.

When the levers 18 occupy positions, corresponding with the'one shown in Fig. 1, that is with both protuberance's 20 and 20 contacting with the disk 14, the springs 17 serve to retain the members 14 and 15 of the clutch A iii their disengaged relation.

' 15 and the disk 4 connected to a rock shaft 24, having arms 25 (Figs. 1 and 5) whose free ends are con- 'nected by pivots 26 and links 26 with a yoke 27 carrying an annular ball bearing assembly 28 engaging in a circumferential groove 29 (Fig; of the actuator. The other of the referred to instrumentalities for effecting movement to said actuator is by means of a speed governorsuch, for example, as that f illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 1,677,961, issued to Joseph G. Fay, July 24, 1928,'which governor acts throughthe medium of a shiftable collar 30 mounted upon the shaft 1 to the rear of the transmission (which constitutes the present invention) said collar being secured to the actuator 22 by means of a coupling rod 31 provided within the shaft 1 and is secured to the collar and actuator by keys 30 and 22 respectively, extending through slots 32 and 32 provided therefor in the shaft. Said actuator'Q-Q is of a circular form with an annular recess 33in one end thereof surrounding a hub element 34. Saidhub elewhich we term a slip brake.

ment extends rearwardly from the conoidal inner surface 35 of the actuator, at one end of said recess, and is provided at its other end with a peripheral ridge 36.

Said conoidal surface 35 or the ridge 36 function to engage the finger elements 18 to cause the lovers 18 to effect the engagement of said clutch when the actuator is shifted a requisite distance in either direction longitudinally of the shaft 1.

Said actuator is provided in its outer pcripheral surface 37 with a circumferential groove 38 between two oppositely arranged conoidal surfaces 39 and 39 40 represents wheels, three being shown, adapted to track against the periphery of said actuator, each of said wheels being mounted for rotation on the crank element 41 of an arm 41 of a shaft 42 (Fig. 1) arranged longitudinally of the transmission in a bearing of the annular member 10 Secured to the end of a shaft 42 within a cavity 43 of the member 10 is a finger 42 The respective cavities 43 communicate with cavities 43 of triangular shape transversely of the member 10 and disposed in the inner periphery thereof.

Provided for the respective cavities 43 are rollers 44 adapted to be pushed thcrcinto by means of springs 45 for the purpose of securing the internal ring gear 9 to the annular member 10 except when the associated fingers 42 are employed to hold the rollers out of coupling relation with respect to said internal ring gear and the member 10 The roller releasing action of the fingers occurs when the actuator 22 is positioned to permit the wheels 40 of the respective shafts 42 to enter the actuator groove 38 whereupon the power of the springs 45 is asserted to push the rollers 44 into positions to couple the ring gear with the annular member.

, lVhen the actuator is shifted to have its outer periphery 37 engage the wheels 40 at one side or the other of said groove the crank connections of the wheels are influenced to cause the fingers 42 to carry the rollers 44 into their inoperative positions with respect to the ring gear 9.

The said annular member 10 is yicldably conncctedag'ainst rotary movement to the housing 10; and, under normal conditions is. in efiect, part of the housing. Under excessive stresses, however, as when overcoming the inertia of a load, the member 10 is permitted movement with respect to the housing, and which is accomplished by means Said slip brake, see Figs. 1 and 4, comprises a brake band 46 and a lining 47 therefor, positioned in a circumferential groove of the member 10 one end 46 of the brake band being fastened to the housing 10 and its other end extending as a screw threaded rod 46 through an aperture of the housing for adjustable engagement with a nut 46 between which and a shoulder on the housing, is provided a helical spring 48.

Means, shown in Fig. 4, are also provided for securing the spider 3 at low speeds of the driving member to the annular member 10 such means comprising spaced apart sub stantially triangular recesses l9 provided in the pe iphcry of the spider to receive rollers 50 adapted to be pushed by springs 51 into engaged relation with the inner periphery of the member 10 said springs acting in opposition to heavy bodies 52, one for each roller, said heavy bodies 52 being pivotally connected to the spider at 52 so as to provide each of said bodies with an unbalanced portion which at high speeds is affected by centrifugal force to dislodge, in opposition to the respective springs 51, the rollers 50 from their clutching relation with respect to the spider and the annular member 10 53 represents a circularplate secured to the front end of the internal gear 8 and having centrally thereof a hollow boss 53 which is journaled upon a bushing 5a which is rotatable upon the hub 5 of the pinion 5.

lncluded in the invention is a second clutch, hereinafter designated by 13, whose function is to releasably secure the pinion 5 to the shaft 1 and which is accomplished through the medium of the shiftable collar 30 esponsive either to the governor, hereinbefore mentioned, or by means of the controlling pedal 23.

More particularly, the clutch B comprises a plurality of annular clutch disks 55 splined to a cylindrical rim element 56 integral with the hub 5 of the pinion 5, said clutch disks being located between telescopically connected clamping elements 57 and 58 of the clutch, of which the element 57 is rigidly secured to the shaft 1.

Located between the successive disks 55 are CllSliS 59 having splined connection with the clutch clamping elements 57 and 58 by the provision in the disks 59 of notches through which extend draw bolts 60 which are rigidly secured to the clutch element 58 and extending loosely through holes (not shown) provided in the complementary clutch element 5?. (31 represents layers of asbestos or other suitable material interposed between the various metal disks and the clutching elements of both clutch members.

Springs 62 disposed between toe elements 57, 58 and the associated disks 59 tend to sep arate the individual disk elements of the clutch.

The clutch is adapted to be disengaged through the agency of levers 63, pivotally connected at 5 2 to lugs 65 of the clutch element 57, acting through the medium of links 66 connecting the respective levers 63 with plates 6'? which engage the rear ends of helical springs 58 whose other ends bear against the clutch element 57, the plates 67 being mounted upon the respective bolts.

The levers 63 are engaged by and actuated by a forward movement of the shiftable collar 30 to render the clutch inoperative, the springs 68 functioning to eliminate shock in the coupling of the clutch members.

The action of the transmission devices will be best understood from an inspection of the diagrammatic views Figs. 6, 8 and 9 employing arrow heads indicating the direction of rotation of the various gears.

In third or high speed (Fig. (3) both clutches A and B are engaged. All of the toothed gears are interlocked and turn as one, giving a speed ratio of 1 to 1, between the d 'iving and driven members.

In second or intermediate speed (Fig. 7) clutch A is disengaged, and the gearing driven through the medium of engaged clutch B; the actuator having been moved rearwardly sutlicient to disengage clutch A permitting the wheels at) to enter the actuator groove 38; the internal gear 9 being coupled with the inner housing 10 by means of the rollers i l, causing the spider 3 and associated gear train to traclr cireumferentially about the internal gear 9, through the medium of meshed gears 'i' and 9.

In first or low speed (Fig. 8) clutch B remains engaged and clutch A disengaged, with the mechanism thus arranged the speed of the driven member is in ratio to that of the gears 5 to 8, see Fig. 2, the spider I?) being locked against rotative movement by the rollers 50 engaging the annular member 10 and the spider.

Reverse motion (Fig. 9) is accomplished by disengaging clutch B and engaging clutch A by means of the fingers 18 of the respective levers 18 being actuated through ridge 36 striking the underneath surface.

The meshing of gear 4 with 6 thereupon drives the driven member through he medium ofgear 6 but in a directionop posite to that of the direct drives as explained above. X

The spider 3 is locked against rotation by brake band 13 in reverse.

VVhat-we claim, is

1. In variable-speed transmission devices, the combination of a driving member, two toothed pinions mounted for rotation on said driving member, a driven member, an internal toothed gear rigid with said driven member, a spider mounted to rotate about the axis of said members, planet-shafts carried by the spider, a toothed-gear ring, means for releasably securing said. ring against rotary movement, two sets of planet-gears mounted upon the respective planet-shafts, one set of planet'gears being in continuous mesh with one of said pinions and the internal gear ofthe driven member, the other set of planet-gears being in continuous mesh with the other'of said pinions and said ring-gear, clutch devices for coupling said pinions with said driving member, means for controlling the clutches to effect the actions selectively of the planet-gears whereby motion is transmitted from said driving member to drive the driven member at different speeds and in difierent directions as desired and means for selectively securing said spider against rotative movement to effectuate directive movement.

2. In devices as defined in claim 1 wherein the clutch controlling means is adapted for regulating the action of the ring securing means.

3. In variable-speed transmission mechanism, the combination of a driving member, a driven member having an internal gear element, two toothed pinions mounted to rotate upon said driving member, clutch devices for the respective pinions, two sets of continuously meshing toothed gears intermediate the internal gear element of said driven member and the pinions of the driving member, a second ring gear releasably secured against .rotation, and means for actuating said clutches individually and collectively as desired for transmitting motion from the drivdriven member, two toothed pinions mounted to rotate upon said driving member, clutch devices for releasably securing the respective pinions to said driving member, two sets of continuously meshing toothed gears interme diate said driven member and the pinions of the driving member, and means for actuating said clutches individually and collectively as desired for transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member to rotate the latter at different speedsselectively.

.6. In variable speed transmission devices, the combination with a hollow shat-t constituting the driving member of the transmission, a drum constitutingfthe driven member of the transmission, said drum being provided with an internal gear, two toothed pinions mounted for rotary motion upon said shaft, a ring-gear and a spider rotatable about the axis of said shaft, means for con-' trolling the rotation of said ring gear and spider, respectively,'two planet shafts carried by said spider, and complementary planet gears mounted upon the respective planet shaft-s, the gears of one of' sa id planet shafts serving with the latter to make a driving connection between one of said toothed pinions and the internal gear of said drum, the gears mounted upon the other of said planet shafts serving therewith to operatively connect the other of said pinions with said ringge'ar, of clutches adapted to normally clutch the respective pinions to said shaft, and means provided within said shaft whereby said clutches selectively are rendered inoperative for regulating the action of transmission devices as to speed and direction of rotation imparted to the driven member.

7. In variable speed transmission devices as defined in claim 6 wherein is employed an actuator adapted to control the operation of said clutches, and means controlled by the longitudinal movement of said actuator for regulating the operation of said ring-gear controlling means. I

JAMES C. PORTER. JOSEPH G. FAY. 

